Bed table and book rest



Aug. 4, 1936. A. NICHOLS BED TABLE AND [BOOK REST Filed May 16, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 4, 1936. H L I 2,050,115

BED TABLE AND BOOK REST Filed May 16, 1955 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BED TABLE AND BOOK REST August Nichols, Washington, Fa. Application May 16, 1935, Serial No; 21,911 3 Claims. (01.4542) This invention relates to an adjustable bed table and book rest combined, and it aims to provide a novel construction capable of ready attachment to and detachment from a bed and 5 movement to and from operative position.

It is especially aimed to provide a book rest which is attached to the table and foldable rel-' atively thereto when not in use. It is also aimed to provide a novel construction of book rest and 10 means for holding it in operative and in the folded position.

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in' connection with ac- 5 companying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings:--

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing my improvement attached to a bed;

20 Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the improvement, taken at a right angle to the position of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

25 Figure 4 is an inverted plan view of the improvement, partly broken away;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is a detail section taken on the line 30 66 of Figure 5.

Referring specifically to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, the invention has a standard or vertical post l adjustably fastened in a suit- 35 able clamp II by means of a slidable collar l2 having a binding screw l3 to engage the same.

By means of the collar l2 and screw l3 the height of the standard It] may be adjusted. Said clamp ll may be of any desired form and it embraces a longitudinal bar or rod I4 of a bed frame generally designated l and of conventional form. While the rod I4 is shown as round,

obviously the invention may be used where the rod is of a difierent shape and in such instances 45 the form of clamp II will vary to accord with the shape thereof.

The device employs a lateral arm it which supports the top or table ll. Said table H in operative position is disposed across the bed. It

50 has a pair of depending bars 3 fastened thereto, provided with openings whereby it is slidable and pivotally movable on the arm [6 to any desired adjusted position, being fastened in adjusted position by means of set screws l9 threaded 5 thereto and adapted to bind against the arm It. Said arm l6 at the outer end has a socket member or cap 20 into which the upper end of arm It) extends, the latter being fastened in rigid relation wit h the socket membe by means of a set screw 2|. Socket member 20 also rests on a 5 collar 22, adjustable along the rod. 10 andheld in adjusted position by a set screw 23. Should it be desired, the entire device may be removed from the clamp II, or the socket 20 may be removed from the upper end of the arm l0. 10

When the table I7 is not in use by an occupant ofthe bed It, it is adjusted and moved to one side; so as to properly position the book restgenerally designated 24"; This book restas shown consists of a skeleton metallic frame having side arm's 25' and a' bottom forwardly extending ledge 23. The books, papers or the like are placed on the ledge 26 and against cross wires 2? of the frame and they are held in place by a resilient clamp 28, fastened to the ledge and which has a cross bar 29 adapted to engage the book or papers and which cross bar is urged towards the same by the spring 28.

Said side arms are pivoted to a rod 29 connected to the'bars l8. Each side rod 25 has a 25 link 30 pivoted thereto as at 34 below the rod 29 and said links 30 are slidable in brackets 32 of tubular form, suitably fastened as at 33 to the bars I8. Said links 30 at their inner ends have contractile coil springs 34 attached thereto and 30 which in turn are attached to eyelets 35. Disposed transversely within the space of the bracket 32 are pins 35 Said pins may also be driven into the bars l8 if desired. Each link 30 at the lower edge has a plurality of teeth 36 thereon 35 adapted to selectively engage the pins 35 to hold the book rest in different adjusted positions, against the contractile action of the springs 34.

Bearings or brackets 31 are fastened to the brackets 32 by screws or pivot members 32 and said brackets 32 journal a cross rod 38 which is terminally formed into cranks 39 having pins 40 disposed in elongated slots 4| in the end portions of the links 36. An operating arm 42 extends centrally from the rod 38 having a ring 43 loosely engaged with a depending stud 44 on the table top ll and on the lower end of which stud a nut 45 is screw threaded. Engaging such ring 43 from above is a sleeve or collar 36 loose on the stud 44 and urged downwardly by a contractile spring A! surrounding such stud, bearing against the top H and against a loose washer 46 engaging the collar The free end of arm 42 is downwardly deflected and terminates in a ring like finger piece 48.

LII

As a result of the structure described, the arm 42 may be depressed as desired to disengage the teeth 36 from the pins 35, enabling longitudinal movement of the links 30 to the desired extent under the contractile action of the spring 34, and counter to that action, permitting the book rest to be folded completely beneath the table top or to be operatively positioned at the desired angle, according to the teeth engaged with the pins 35.

It will thus be realized that the device as a whole may be removed from the bed as desired or may be positioned according to the desires of the patient, and that when the table is not in use, the book rest structure 25 may be projected and disposed at any desired angle, with the book, paper,

or the like fastened in an advantageous position by the spring device 28 and bar 29.

A chain 49 may be fastened to the book rest to facilitate the pulling thereof against the tension of the springs 34.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:--

1. A device of the class described having spaced supporting members, a book rest having side arms pivoted to said supporting members, brackets on said supporting members, links slidable in said brackets pivotally connected to said side arms, spring means attached to and urging retraction of said links, pin and teeth connections between the links and brackets carried by the links and brackets, and means supported from said brackets and coacting with said links operable to release the teeth and pin means.

2. A device of the class described having spaced supporting members, a book rest having side arms pivoted to said supporting members, brackets on said supporting members, links slidable in said brackets pivotally connected to said side arms, spring means attached to and urging retraction of said links, pin and teeth connections between the links and brackets carried by the links and brackets, means supported from said brackets and coacting with said links operable to release the teeth and pin means, comprising brackets on the first mentioned brackets, a shaft journaled in the second mentioned brackets having cranks, said links having slots engaged by said cranks, and means on the device operable to rock said rod to release the teeth and pins.

3. A device of the class descn'bed having spaced supporting members, a book rest having side arms pivoted to said supporting members, brackets on said supporting members, links slidable in said brackets pivotally connected to said side arms, 20

spring means attached to and urging retraction of said links, pin and teeth connections between the links and brackets carried by the links and brackets, means supported from said brackets and coacting with said links operable to release the teeth and pin means, comprising brackets on the first mentioned brackets, a shaft journaled in the second mentioned brackets having cranks, said links having slots engaged by said cranks, and means operable to rock said rod to release the teeth and pins comprising an arm, a stud on the device loosely engaged by the arm, a nut on said stud on which the arm rests, and resilient means about the stud above the arm and urging the same 

